Door closer or the like



1960 K. M. STEWART DOOR CLOSER OR THE LIKE Filed July 14, 1958 I INVENTOR Ken/7am M. Stewart a if M r ATTORNEYS Unite S tes Pa htO My invention relates to improvements in door closers or the like and is an improvement over the structure shown in my Patent No. 2,823,413, dated February 18, 1958.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention has among its primary objects to provide a device as characterized which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and highly efficient in practical use whether employed in small sizes for medicine cabinet doors, for instance, or in large sizes for heavy doors, gates, and the like.

More specifically stated, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind embodying a novel arrangement of an actuator arm and spring actuating means, therefor which not only admits of ready replacement of the spring means when broken, butalso enables the spring pressure applied to the actuating arm ,to be a varied when desired to avoid slamming of the door to which the device is applied. V

The invention also resides in certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts, as will be understood and appreciated upon reference to the accompanying drawings in connection with the detailed description thereof appearing hereinafter.

Although I have illustrated my invention in its now preferred form, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of other mechanical expressions within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views: p v p v Fig. l is a side elevational view of the device detached;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly broken and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is another plan view of the device drawn on a reduced scale and showing it applied to a door and its jamb; and

"Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, it will be noted that the device incorporates a base plate which has the holes 51 for screws so that the base plate can be mounted on the upper door frame member 52, for instance, as shown in Fig. 3.

On each side the forward end of the base plate 50 has the outwardly turned extension portions 53a which terminate in the shaft-receiving bearings 53 so that the latter are spaced outwardly away from the outer face of the base plate 50 as indicated in Fig. 1.

Journalled in the plate-provided bearings 53 is the shaft 54 having the end portions 54a which are flattened at opposite sides as best shown in Fig. 1, so as to fit the elongated holes 55 in the legs 57 of the yoke member 56 which provides the bight portion 58, as shown.

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alongside of one of the legs 57 of the yoke 56. Adjacent its free end the flattened sleeve portion a is provided with the elongated hole 60b to fit over the adjacent shaft end 54a. This fitting of hole 60a to shaft 54 combined with the rivet connection 59 between end portion-60a and the adjacent yoke arm 57 makes for a rigid connection of'the sleeve 60 to the yoke 56.

The other member of the extensible actuating arm comprises the rod 61 which is inserted in the sleeve 60 from the exteriorly enlarged outer end 60c thereof. The outer end of the rod 60 has the lateral extension 61a on which is journalled the roller 64 as illustrated. To pre-' vent the rod 61 from turning in the sleeve. 60 and for maintaining the roller 64 always in the operative position shown in Fig. 3, I provide the rod 61 with the surface groove 62 within which works the inner end of .the screw 63 having the wing extension 63a for operating purposes. When the screw 63 is tightened into the groove 62 of the rod 61, it will be apparentthat the rod 61 will be retained in a fixed position in reference to the sleeve 60 with the roller 64 in operative position to engage the door 65 as in Fig. 3.

Obviously the relationship of the device to the door and the sleeve can be reversed if desired, and the unit (of Figs. 1-4) shown can be made in rights and lefts" so as to be adapted to differently mounted. doors, or rather in reference to doors which swing outwardly in different directions.

Spring control of the actuator arm 60, 61 is efiected by means of the spring which is generally designated at 65 and has the reversely wound coils 66, 67 as shown in Fig. 2. These coils 66, 67 are connected by the straight intermediate spring portion shown in Fig. 2; and the respective free ends 66a, 67a of the spring coil portions 66, 67 engage in back of the respectivev adjacent bearing carrying portions 53a as indicated in Fig. 2 but best shown in Fig. 1.

Tensioning of the spring portions 66, 67 is effected by the exteriorly hexagonal sleeve 69, having the diametrically reduced hub extension 69a at one side.v The coil connecting spring portion 68 seats in a cross groove 70 in one face of thehexagonal sleeve portion 69 as shown in Fig. 2; and the diametrically reduced hub extension 69a has the circumferentially spaced transverse holes 71. These holes 71 are adapted to selectively register with the seat 54b which is formed in the shaft 54 as best shown in Fig. 4. An L-for'm pin '72 has the right angularly turned end portion 728: which is adapted to be selectively projected through the hub holes 71 to seat in the registering seat 54b of the shaft. This is so as to retain the spring coil portions 66, 67 under a predetermined desired tension calculated to swing the yoke 56 in a direction to close the door with more or less force, as desired. if the tension applied to the arm60, 61 is too great, the pin 72, 72a will be removed and the spring c'oil portion 66, 67 eased somewhat by a wrench applied to the hexagonal sleeve portion 69 whereupon the, pin portion 72:: will be inserted in a different hole 71 0f the hub portion 69a to seat in the seat 54b of the shaft.

It is advantageous to have the actuator arm 60, 61 ex tensible so as to make the last described device applicable to different sized doors and also to enable different amounts of pressure to be applied to the door.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an actuator arm fast on said shaft adjacent one end, a coil spring on said shaft between said bearingsv and having a terminal.

Patented Nov. 15, 1960 said coil spring, said sleeve having an axially extending outer surface groove opening from the spring-adjacent end thereof, the second terminal of said coil spring removably anchored in the groove of said. sleeve and the latter having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, and a'pin insertible .in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft.

2. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, a yoke having armsfast on said shaft adjacent the respective outer ends thereof, an actuator armlfast 'on said shaft and secured to and against the outer surface of one of said yoke arms, a coil spring on said shaft between said bearings and having a terminal at each end, one of said spring terminals being anchored to one of the hearings, a spring power output controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft adjacent the other end of said coil spring, the second end of said coil spring anchored to said sleeve and the latter having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring 'the'sleeve to said shaft.

3. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, a yoke having arms fast on said shaft adjacent the respective outer ends thereof, an actuator arm fast on said shaft and secured to and against the outer surface of one of said yoke arms, coil spring means on said shaft between said bearings and comprising axially spaced coil sections and a straight spring portion connecting said coil sections, a spring power output controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft between said coil spring sections, a terminal at the outer end of each coil spring section and anchored to the adjacentone of said bearings, anchoring means provided by said sleeve and securing said straight spring portion thereto, said sleeve having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft.

4. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, a yoke having arms fast on said shaft adjacent the respective outer .ends thereof, ,-an actuator arm fast on said shaft and secured to and against the outer surface of one of said yoke arms, a coil spring on said shaft between said bearings and having a terminal at each end, one of said spring terminals being anchored to one of the bearings, a :spring .power output controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft adjacent the other end of said coil spring,

the second terminal of said coil spring anchored to said-sleeve and the latter having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft.

5. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an actuator arm fast on said shaft adjacent one end, a coil spring on said shaft between said bearings and having a 'terminal at each end, one of said'spring terminals being anchored to one of the bearings, a spring power output "controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft adjacent the other end of said coil spring, the second terminal of said coil spring anchored to said sleeve and the latter having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft, saidactuatbr arm comprising telescoping sections, a lateral stub-shaft extension adjacent the outer end of the outer one of said telescoping sections, an antifriction member journalled on said stub shaft extension, and. means retaining said telescoping sections in relatively adjusted position.

6. In a door closeri or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an actuator arm fast on said shaft adjacent one end, a coil spring on said shaft between said bearings and having a terminal at each end, one of said spring terminals being anchored to one of the bearings, a spring power output controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft adjacent the other end of said coil spring, the second terminal of said coil spring anchored to said sleeve and the latter having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft, said actuator arm comprising telescoping sections, a lateral stub-shaft extension adjacent the outer end of the outer one of said telescoping sections, an antifriction member journalled on said stub shaft extension, and means retaining said telescoping sections in relatively adjusted position.

7. In a door closer or the like including a mounting plate having laterally spaced bearings at its forward edge, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an actuating arm fast on said shaft adjacent one end, coil spring means on said shaft between said bearings and comprising-axially spaced coil sections, a straight spring portion connecting said coil sections, a spring power output controlling sleeve rotatable on said shaft between said spring coil sections, a terminal at the outer end of each spring coil section and anchored to the adjacent one of said bearings, said sleeve being provided with means for anchoring said straight spring portion thereto, said sleeve having a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse holes extending therethrough, said shaft having a surface pocket with which said sleeve holes are selectively registerable, and a pin insertible in said pocket through a registering one of said sleeve holes for anchoring the sleeve to said shaft.

8. The structure of claim 1, and at least a portion of said sleeve which is axially'spaced from said pin-receiving holes providing surfaces for engagement of a turning tool such as a pipe wrench, pliers, or the like, so that the sleeve can be held against spring-induced turning while said pinzis being inserted in a selected one of said :sleeve holes.

9. The structure of claim 7, and at least a portion of said sleeve which is axially spaced from said pinreceiving holes providing surfaces for engagement of a turning tool such as a pipe wrench, pliers, or the like, so that the sleeve can be held against spring-induced turning while said 'pin is being inserted in a selected one of said sleeve holes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 196,095 Knapp Oct. 16, 1877 329,297 Elliott Oct. 27, 1885 808,138 Carroll Dec. 26, 1905 2,706,828 Spears Apr. 26, 1955 

